Hollywood Two Point Oh: A Mental Health Miracle

0:00In Hollywood, a new mental health pilot called Hollywood 2.0 is turning lives around for folks battling serious illness and homelessness. Take May-On Poon, a 66-year-old survivor who's gone from decades on the streets, self-medicating with booze and drugs to cooking up barbecued, chicken and collar greens at a community clubhouse. This nearly 117 million dollar county project mixes street-level clinical care, stable housing, and real community vibes to spark. He's recovering. Earlier this year, Fountain House Hollywood opened on Sunset Boulevard, modeled after Spots Worldwide, where members with mental health diagnoses run. The show no doctors on staff. Just peers handling meals, jobs, and daily ops. Inspired by Italy's holistic motto from places like Trieste, L.A. leaders ditched top-down treatment for collaboration, partnering with non-profits too, build belonging and purpose beyond meds. Poon's story hits hard, grew up with family alcoholism, lost her baby girl to foster care

1:03after jail time at 20, spiraled into skitsl effective, disorder with mania and psychosis. She reunited with daughter Sabrina in 2018, but early struggles in her back out. Until Hollywood 2.0 stepped in with weekly, visits, meds that cleared her head and sobriety since late 2022. Fast forward, Poon's charges got dismissed last month. She's in her own subsidized apartment, and the clubhouse keeps her grounded through cooking. Crews and friendships, program stats shine too. Over 700 people housed, Hollywood's homelessness cut nearly and half this year alone, with job help and new clinics, rolling out. As the five-year grant winds down next year, county teams plan clubhouses in six more spots, pushing this community healing model wider while Poon. Poon's deeper with her daughter over strawberry shakes and girly vibes, proof that real connection sticks when the system finally gets her right. This has been California News Today, powered by AI, I'm Corey with The Story.